The Straw Man Chronicles
by Tori7
Summary: Fiyero was saved. She had saved him. And now another girl has stepped into his life wearing a pair of silver shoes. This is the story of Fiyero's journey on the yellow brick road. R&R.
1. Chapter 1

His flesh was indeed left untorn, and his blood certainly left no stain. Fiyero's lack of pain was, in fact, soul-numbing. What was happening to him? Was this Elphaba's doing? Of course it was! That book the Wizard gave her back when she thought he was wonderful...she must have used it to save him from the fury of the guards he once commanded. 

The night had fallen. The guards had left long ago, assuming he was dead, ignorant to the spell that kept breath within his lungs. It was Elphaba's love that kept Fiyero alive, if this could be considered life. He was stuck on a pole, arms outstretched. Burlap had replaced his once smooth skin, and straw had consumed the space where his vital organs had once been.

The night went on and on, but not a single wink of sleep could he get now. He was left with his thoughts of Elphaba, and their last moments together.

He had followed her from Kiamo Ko against her request. He couldn't risk leaving Elphaba on her own. She had been devastated enough by the death of her sister, but when Elphaba saw Glinda give Nessa's shoes to that young girl, she was fit to be tied! At that moment Fiyero was glad he had followed her, just in case she decided to strangle her blonde, ex-roommate. And when Elphaba was suddenly surrounded by the Wizard's guards, Fiyero knew for sure he had done the right thing!

But...

The look on the green girl's face as he pointed his rifle at Glinda was almost too much to bear. Her dead sister to her left and the only close friend she'd ever had at the end of a ready firearm...he could only imagine the fear Elphaba was feeling. He had to do it to save her, but Fiyero could almost feel her soul stir as he told her to flee.

Glinda.

She was beautiful, no doubt, but sometimes he wondered if she had a single thought in that head of hers. She had so easily fallen into the trap set by the Wizard and Morrible. It was all supposed to be Elphaba's: the fame, the glory, the place at the Wizard's right hand, but she wasn't willing to pay the toll that came with it. And when Elphaba turned from the temptation, it all fell in Glinda's unready lap.

The morning sun was beginning to show itself. Finally! He had never appreciated how many hours of life one slept through during the nighttime. What was he to do now? He struggled with the ropes that bound him to his wooden warden, but to no avail.

How Fiyero wished he could feel that beautiful morning sunshine on his face! But that life was over now. Physical existence would no longer be of any importance.

Just as this thought crossed Fiyero's mind, he could hear a sweet voice coming from the distance.

It was her! The girl who's house fell on Nessarose. She must have stopped to rest the evening before, for there she stood, wearing a blue and white gingham dress, her feet adorned with the silver shoes given to Nessa by Elphaba's father.

She couldn't have been more than fifteen or sixteen years old. She had a naive look about her that confirmed her youth. She probably didn't know anything about the history of the shoes, only that they belonged to someone every Munchkin was glad to be rid of.

As she came to the junction by his corn field, she seemed perplexed.

She spoke softly to her little black dog.

"Which direction should we go now, Toto? That kind witch Glinda didn't say anything about the road splitting. She just said to take this one road the whole time. She must be bad with directions."

Fiyero chuckled slightly at this.

The girl sat on the blue fence surrounding his field. She seemed to be considering what her next move should be. Fiyero saw her glance into her little wicker basket. A few pieces of bread remained. She took a piece out, broke a bit off for her dog, and then ate some of it herself. He could hear it crunch from where he hung on the pole, it must have been old and stale.

His sympathies kicked in, and Fiyero decided to help her.

"Pardon me, but that road is quite pleasant."

**Ok, so. Here it is! My first story in a long time.**

**I was inspired to write this after seeing Wicked for the third time last week. It was as wonderful as ever!**

**There are some differences. I made Dorothy more around Judy Garland's age, which will make sense as the story progresses. The rest is pretty much in accordance with the musical.**

**R&R please!**


	2. Chapter 2

The girl's head shot up in a frenzy of confusion. She seemed frightened.

"Who's there?" she asked with a shaken sound in her voice.

"Over here! In the field!" he called.

She turned to face him and squinted her eyes. The girl walked forward with a look of pure disbelief etched on her pretty face.

"Are you...no."

The girl pressed her hands over her face and turned back to her small dog.

"Toto, my mind is playing cruel tricks on me. All of this excitement and hunger is getting the best of me."

"No! I AM talking to you!" Fiyero cried, afraid she would walk away.

He wanted so desperately to be taken down off of that wretched pole!

'She seems nice enough, I'm sure she'll help me if I don't scare her away.'

Slowly once more she turned to face him. The girl looked him over a few times as if she were trying to grasp what she was seeing as reality.

"I beg your pardon," she slurred after a few moments of staring at him. "Where I'm from, talking scarecrows are rare creatures indeed."

"I understand." Fiyero replied.

"You said something about the road I should take?" she pressed on.

'Damn!' he thought. 'I've got to get down from here.'

"Well, to be honest, I wouldn't know what road to take for sure, for I've never been off these poles."

He put his head down as if in shame, and when he looked up she had sympathy written all over her face.

And then she smiled.

It amazed him! This young girl must be very strong, for she was obviously dehydrated and starving, and yet found it in her heart to loan him a smile.

"I'll help you down!" she said.

She did indeed, in all her kindness, untie Fiyero's hands and feet, and gently bring him down. He no longer had the weight of a man since he was now stuffed with straw.

"Thank you so much..."

"Dorothy," she finished. "I'm Dorothy Gale, and this is Toto."

Dorothy gestured to the small, black dog who sniffed at Fiyero's feet.

"Where are you headed?"

"The Emerald City." she said with a smile. "Glinda the Good told me that if I took this road of yellow brick I would find the Wizard, and he would give me a way home."

"She did, did she?"

"Yes, but now I..."

In a split second, the smile had faded from Dorothy's face and her knees had buckled. She fell forward, right into Fiyero's arms. He gently sat her on the ground. It was plain to see that she needed food and water.

"Don't move, I'll be right back!" Fiyero gave her an assuring pat on the arm and then raced back to the field.

He picked a few ears of corn as quickly as he could. He found these padded hands quite bothersome, as they made it hard for him to get a firm grip on anything, but this girl who was so kind to him was in diar need of nourishment and he was going to get it for her. Fiyero then went beyond the field to a farmer's well and stole a dipper of water.

By the time he got back to Dorothy she had propped herself up against the fence and cradled her aching head in her hands.

"Here," he said. "Eat and drink and you will be well again in no time." 

"I'm so sorry!" she said with tears welling up in her eyes. "Your first time walking upon the ground and you're running around fetching food and drink for me. I've ruined it for you!"

Fiyero could have laughed at this. If only she knew! He had lived a whole life! He had danced, fought, loved and hated. He had been engaged to Glinda the Good and had run away with the Wicked Witch of the West. He had been captain of the wizard's guard and, with the help of his green lover, cheated death.

Fiyero knew that to share this information with Dorothy would be unwise. The less she knew the better.

"Don't think about it another minute Dorothy." he said kindly. "You have been very helpful to me, and it was the most natural thing in the world to do the same for you."

"We're even then." she said followed by an enormous gulp of water.

"So you say you're going to the Emerald City? To see the Wizard?"

"Yes. I left my family quite suddenly, you see, and they will worry terribly if I don't get back to them soon. I told Glinda and the Munchkins that I must find a way home. They told me the best way to do that would be to see the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. So that is what I shall do!"

Dorothy's happiness at this made Fiyero angry. His anger, however, was not directed at the optimistic, young girl beside him. No. His anger was with Glinda. She knew better than that! It became quite clear to Fiyero now that Dorothy had been used and tricked.

Her house landed on and killed Nessarose Thropp, the sister to the Wicked Witch of the West. Nessa had been called the Wicked Witch of the East in hushed whispers. She was cruel to the Munchkins and they were very afraid of her. Fiyero reflected sadly that they probably rushed Dorothy away for fear of retribution from Elphaba. Glinda knew that the Wizard of Oz was a fake and still sent Dorothy, full of hope, on a dead-end journey to see him.

He couldn't believe Glinda could be so empty-headed!

As the girl ate, she told Fiyero about her home. She was from the other world, a place called Kansas, and it sounded quite dull. When he asked why she would want to leave the beautiful land of Oz for a place so dreary and colorless, she said simply that she longed to be with her family again.

After a few moments of silence, Dorothy asked sweetly,

"Won't you tell me a story while we sit?"

He was taken back by this.

"A story?"

"Yes. Tell me of your history."

He didn't know what to say! He couldn't give himself away. If he wanted any chance of getting back to Elphaba, he could not, under any circumstances, falter.

He had to be a scarecrow, and nothing more.

"I don't know many stories, Dorothy. You see, I've only just come to life. And, being stuffed with straw, I have no brains to remember with anyway."

Her eyes widened in wonder. Fiyero was proud that he came up with something so clever so quickly.

Dorothy was finishing her breakfast now and was putting the leftover ears of corn in her basket for later. Fiyero knew he had to go with her. His main focus was getting back to Elphaba, but Fiyero was sure now that people would continue to take advantage of young Dorothy, and the Wizard would be the worst of them.

Fiyero had seen first hand what that man, that 'wonderful' wizard of oz, was capable of doing to a person that got on his bad side. He worried for Dorothy, fearing her optimism and determination to get home would blind her. Concerned that her innocence would lead to her demise, Fiyero said,

"Maybe if I went with you the Wizard would give me some brains! Then I could think as other men can."

Dorothy's face instantly lit up at the idea.

"That would be marvelous! Toto and I would certainly love the company."

Her face turned serious.

"I should warn you Scarecrow, there is a witch after me and you may get into trouble should you accompany me on this journey."

He frowned. Dorothy had been fed the lies about Elphaba. He wanted so badly to defend the woman he loved, but he was a brainless scarecrow after all, and had he really just been created as he had said, he would know nothing of such things.

"Don't worry about that," he said with confidence. "I'm not afraid of her."

They began to walk down the yellow brick road. Walking in this new body was no easy task! It was flimsy and unstable. Every now and then he would lose his footing and Dorothy would have to help him back on his feet. After a while, he offered Dorothy his arm and she made the walking easier for him.

"It will take a while to get used to walking," she assured him. "But you'll get the hang of it."

A coy smile crossed his features.

"I'm sure I will."

Here's chapter two for you! Wow! Thank you all for your kind comments! I had a lot to explain in this chapter which accounts for its length.

I'm glad you're all enjoying the story thus far. 


	3. Chapter 3

After a full day of walking, Dorothy was growing tired. Fiyero could no longer experience exhaustion. If not for his little fleshy friend he would be able to walk forever. He wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing. It was an advantage to never grow tired or hungry, but he found his lack of humanity disturbing. 

Would Elphaba still love him in this state? She had made him this way, but what would she say when they were finally face to face once more? He had once comforted her, assuring her that she was beautiful in her own way. He could only hope that Elphaba would look beyond his outer appearance and know that Fiyero was still there inside. His spirit had not changed.

The two travelers came upon a small cottage on the cusp of the great forest. It was here that Fiyero suggested they spend the night.

"Good idea, Scarecrow." Dorothy said with a sound of relief in her voice.

They knocked on the door at first, but when no one answered Dorothy gently pushed the door open. Finding it deserted, they entered and began preparing for the evening.

While Dorothy and Toto ate some of the leftover corn for dinner, Fiyero went outside and gathered leaves from the surrounding area to make a bed for Dorothy. She was very appreciative of his kindness. Fiyero sat in a corner, wide awake, while Dorothy fell asleep.

At periods throughout the night, Dorothy would shake and sweat, sometimes crying out in fright. He could only imagine the nightmares she must have been experiencing, having been whisked suddenly away from home in a whirlwind that could have killed her. And then, of all things, her house accidentally landed on and killed a woman.

Poor Dorothy!

At these times Fiyero would cross the room and take her hand until she was calm again, falling back into a peaceful slumber.

When morning came, Fiyero went out for a walk. He figured Dorothy would sleep a bit longer due to her restless night, and he longed to hear the birds sing their morning melodies. Staying up all night wasn't at all a pleasurable thing. When Dorothy's sleep was still and sound, the silence nearly drove him mad.

He sat down beside a lovely stream and thought about what he would do to the Wizard once he got his hands on him. Fiyero was thinking of all the ways to dismember him when something occurred to him...

...Dorothy...

Should Fiyero attempt to do anything to the Wizard, there could be consequences for his new friend. And, should that happen, what could he do in his current state to help her? Indeed, the only way to protect Dorothy from the Wizard and to get back to Elphaba was to play dumb.

'It's no different from school I suppose,' he thought to himself as he listened to the moving water. 'I had to pretend I was a lot dumber than I was back then, too.'

It was true. Elphaba had made Fiyero see that there was more to life than parties and good times. There were things worth fighting for...worth caring about. Yes, there were even things worth loving in the world. And, as he got older, Fiyero came to realize that there were forces in Oz that needed to be eradicated, which is why he became captain of the guard in the first place.

Fiyero heard rustling coming from downstream. He looked up to see Dorothy washing her face in the clear water. She tried to remove the silver shoes from her feet, but she seemed to be struggling. He meandered over to her and offered to help.

For some reason, even with Fiyero pulling one way with all his might and Dorothy pulling the other, the shoes refused to relinquish her feet from their silver prison.

"Maybe if I just stand up..."

Dorothy stood and tried once more to pull her right shoe off, but she lost her footing and fell comically into the stream.

At first Fiyero was afraid she was hurt, for she stayed underneath the water for a few moments before she resurfaced, laughing at her own blunder.

"Are you all right, Dorothy?" Fiyero asked as he outstretched his hand to pull her out.

"I'm fine, if not a little wet," she replied with a giggle. "I'm afraid I'll have to let my dress dry out in the sun for a while."

Dorothy unbuttoned the front of her dress down to its hem and slid it off. Her undergarments she left as she draped her dress over a nearby tree branch. She took the bands out of her hair and unraveled the two braids. Her thick, brown locks reached the middle of her back.

If only Fiyero still had blood vessels, his face would be red as a ripe apple!

Just then he heard a rustling in the brush behind him and saw a quick flash of green out of the corner of his eye.

"I'll give you some time to dry out. I'll see if I can't find some berries for you and Toto."

"Thank you Scarecrow!"

Fiyero walked into the brush. It was thick for a time, but it wasn't long before he came to a clearing.

"Did you like my trick?" he heard her smooth voice coo.

She came swiftly from the shadows into the light of the clearing.

"Elphaba!"

**Ok...I'll leave it here for now. Hope you're enjoying it.  
More to come soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

Fiyero took Elphaba in his arms and held her close. He suddenly remembered himself and pulled away, but she snatched him back as quick as lightning. 

"Don't feel self-conscious," she said. "Everything went according to plan."

He gazed at her in awe. Her green hue looked brilliant in the sunshine and her intelligence was overwhelming. No wonder the Wizard and Morrible felt threatened, she was brilliant! Should her point of view catch on with the Animals, an uprising was plausible.

"What did you say about a trick?" Fiyero asked.

"The shoes wouldn't come off right?" she said with a grin. "That was my doing."

"Why would you want to do that to Dorothy?"

Elphaba frowned a bit at the sound of her name.

"I'm not doing anything to _her_. It's really more for the safety of the shoes. The Wizard knows I want them back and I don't want him to try to coerce them from her."

"That explains why we couldn't get them off before."

"Yes, I saw the girl strip for you after her little swim." Elphaba said coldly, one eyebrow raised.

"Don't get jealous," he warned. "I love you and I always will. She doesn't even know I was ever human and I certainly feel nothing for her except pity."

"Why pity? I'm curious."

"Think about it, Elphaba. Dorothy is a pawn in all this! That cyclone was no accident, and it's clear to me that she was pulled into this merely because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time when her house was carried to Oz."

Elphaba seemed to ponder this for a moment. Fiyero could almost see the fallen house in her dark eyes. The death of Nessarose had rattled Elphaba. Until she and Glinda became friends during their days at Shiz, she had only had Nessa to talk to. Now the last member of her family was dead.

Still, he felt that any anger Elphaba held for Dorothy was severely misplaced. When he pointed this out to her, she nodded slowly, staring into space.

"I see your point, Fiyero."

A distant cry caught Fiyero's attention.

"It's sounds like the girl," Elphaba said. "Go and see what's wrong."

Fiyero squeezed Elphaba's hand and ran back toward the stream, but when he got there, Dorothy was no where in sight.

"Dorothy," he called. "Where are you?"

"Scarecrow!" she cried running toward him.

She gripped his padded arms, trying to catch her breath. He patted her gently on the back. After a few moments of heavy panting Dorothy explained her hysteria.

"There's a man in the woods," she said. "A man made of tin! I think he needs our help!"

Fiyero allowed Dorothy to lead him to where this man of tin stood.

His breath caught in his throat! Even encased in tin, Fiyero recognized him in an instant. What had happened to his fellow classmate?

It was indeed a motionless Boq, frozen in what appeared to be a most cumbersome position. His tin body was rusted so terribly that he couldn't move an inch. He did, however, groan miserably.

"Poor thing," Dorothy said, her words laced with pity. "He's rusted solid."

She put her hand on Boq's shoulder tenderly.

"We have to help him!"

Fiyero couldn't stop himself from staring at Boq. He may have been rusted, but he was still capable of concious thought, which was quite obvious by the look in the tin man's eyes.

"Scarecrow, what shall we do?"

"We have to find some oil."

**Here is the next chapter:happy jig: I hope you're all enjoying it so far!  
More to come soon.  
Ciao!**


	5. Chapter 5

Fiyero's mind was racing. He just didn't understand how it was possible! How could Boq's unmistakably pathetic features be etched so still in a body of tin? Was it cruel to think, even in his current state, that someone else was pathetic? 

Did he have that right?

Fiyero ran back towards the cottage he and Dorothy had passed the evening in, Toto at his heel, hoping that there would be some oil in one of the many dusty cabinets. He thought that Boq must have been frozen there for some time, for the cottage was recently built, but clearly uninhabited.

Dorothy ran after Fiyero, after a hushed assurance to the frozen being that she would be right back and everything would be all right, and began searching for the necessary lubricant.

"The poor creature," she mumbled as she searched. "He must be so frightened! And to think he may have stood there undiscovered always if we hadn't come along...EUREKA!"

She had found what they needed tucked in the back of a cupboard crawling with spiders. The relief and excitement on her features lit the dank cottage. Dorothy took off running back toward the rusted man.

The oil slipped swiftly into the tin joints, loosening them at last. Boq moved, a bit stiffly still, but he moved just the same. And when Fiyero heard him speak, there was not a smidgen of doubt who he was.

"Thank you so much!" Boq said with his airy voice.

The tin creature threw his heavy arms around Dorothy at once, the weight of him pressing down upon her slender frame. She stumbled a bit under his heft, but balanced herself quickly. When he finally relinquished her, Boq held Dorothy at arms length by her shoulders and looked her over.

"You, the both of you," he said, turning to Fiyero. "You've saved my life! I am very grateful to you."

"How did you ever come to be in such a state?" asked Dorothy.

Suddenly Boq's face fell.

"I was once made of flesh, and quite in love," he said sadly. "But a woman who knew the Wicked Witch was in love with me, and asked her to make it so I couldn't love the other woman."

Fiyero pondered this. Some of it had to be true. Who else could have transformed Boq into this? It must have been Elphaba, and Fiyero would have bet anything that Nessa had something to do with it.

"I was chopping a tree when the rains came and rusted me solid."

"But why would the Witch turn you to tin? How would that solve anything?" the girl asked innocently.

"Now being made of tin, I have no heart. I suppose the Witch assumed that without a heart to give away, I could not love."

Suddenly his stiff lips quivered.

"She was right!" he wailed as a fresh batch of tears rolled down his face, quickly turning to spots of rust.

"There there," Dorothy cooed. "Don't cry, my friend. If you do you will surely rust just as you did before. Besides, you've no reason to cry any longer, for we are on our way to the Emerald City to see the Wizard!"

Boq's interest was suddenly captured and he seemed to calm a bit.

"The Scarecrow here is going to ask him for a brain, for his head is stuffed with straw and he wishes to think as other men do. I am going to ask him to show me the way back to my home in Kansas. If he can do these things, I don't see why he couldn't give you a heart!" she said with the broadest of smiles.

"If I had a heart, I could go back home and profess my love to my darling!"

The tin man put his hand over the cavity where his heart should have been lovingly.

Fiyero felt a bit of anger rise through him. Boq was still in love with Glinda after all she'd done to him? Did he not know it was the very woman he loved that bonded him in misery with Nessa?

It was then that Fiyero realized the horrible truth...this was partially his doing! He had encouraged Glinda to be rid of the pest that was then the flesh and blood man named Boq. He had wanted Glinda to himself, and as a direct result of his selfishness, Boq was sold into the emotional slavery of Nessarose.

This was the price Fiyero paid now. He would have to live with this heavy guilt.

Boq broke Fiyero from his thoughts as he announced,

"I'll join you!"

Dorothy jumped and clapped, glee filling every corner of her being. She threw her slender arms around the creature she would so tenderly refer to as Tin Man from then on.

A very loud crashing sound followed by an explosion of fire suddenly shook the ground. There, on top of the uninhabited cottage, stood Elphaba, trying with all her might to look intimidating. Fiyero would have laughed out loud, but the malice in her voice silenced him instantly.

"Keep away from the girl, both of you!" she squealed. "She is cursed, and very soon, she and her wretched dog will meet a bitter end. If you were wise you'd leave her now and stay where you belong, or you will watch her die!"

Elphaba attempted a cackle, which sounded more like a rotten cough, but still Dorothy and Boq shook in fear. Elphaba was being a little harsh. Why would she do that?

The green woman must have seen the anger in Fiyero's face, for he suddenly saw her features soften, and could have sworn she'd winked at him before sending a ball a fire hurdling toward him.

Fiyero flailed in fear, disbelief threatening to cloud his senses, until he realized that the fire would not burn him. It was on his arm, but it didn't leave even a single scorch mark. He smiled at Elphaba, who was laughing. It was a good-natured laugh, without any sort of cruelty. She probably found Fiyero's initial reaction to the innocent flame quite amusing. He would have laughed with her, but Dorothy was nearly in tears.

Before he knew it, Elphaba had disappeared. She was getting quite good at that.

"This is horrible!" Dorothy sobbed as she and Boq put out the last of the flames. "You mustn't follow me any further, my friends. The Witch will surely destroy you if you continue on this journey with me."

Fiyero was about to proclaim his loyalty to the girl, but Boq, surprisingly, beat him to it.

"No, Dorothy," he said strongly. "We are your friends, and I'd rather be destroyed by the Witch than send you ahead alone. I'll stand by your side whatever comes."

Fiyero smiled. Boq was no longer the weak young man he'd known in college.

"I too will stay with you," said Fiyero, putting his arm around Dorothy. "I owe my freedom to you. I'm sure I speak for the Tin Man and myself when I say that we are very much in your debt. We would never abandon you."

Dorothy smiled through her tears.

"I'll do my best to protect you," Boq said. "Even if I am heartless." Boq's behavior was anything but heartless during the next two days of travel. He was almost as attentive to Dorothy's needs as Fiyero was. He too stayed awake during the long nights, having no need for sleep, as Dorothy slept comfortably. The Tin Man often stared wistfully at the young girl, perhaps craving the ability to dream.

Or was that his way of showing that he too was falling under the girl's spell?

It was on the third day that they entered the forest. Here the road of yellow brick was not at all smooth. There were many golden bricks missing, and there were spots that were overgrown with weeds. Often Fiyero would lose his footing and Dorothy would have to help him walk. There were even instances where the woods became so thick that Boq would have to chop through them with his ax in order for them to pass.

When the woods became especially dark, Dorothy gripped Fiyero and Boq's arms tightly in fear. They stood on either side of her, making sure that if any creature were to come out of the trees, they could not touch the flesh-girl.

"I don't like this forest," she said weakly, Toto following along in unusual silence. "I fear the beasts that may dwell here."

Fiyero had heard frightening tales of these woods as a child. They were said to be dangerous and were usually avoided. This was, however, the most direct path to the Emerald City, and with food supplies for Dorothy dwindling and becoming harder to replenish, Fiyero didn't want to take any unnecessary detours.

He and Boq had discussed it the night before as the girl slept so as not to frighten her.

"Dare we enter the woods?" Boq had asked Fiyero, holding Dorothy's hand in one of his own as she shook in her sleep. "It is certainly dangerous."

"Starving is dangerous for Dorothy as well," Fiyero replied in all seriousness. "And food is becoming more difficult to find. We need to get to the Emerald City as soon as possible, or our friend may be lost. We can protect her from harm in the forest."

They were in agreement.

Fiyero felt comfortable with their decision until a ferocious roar sounded from the left side of the road.

Our strode a large lion, ready to attack.

It was when the dog got away from Dorothy that things got away from Fiyero. The next thing he knew, Dorothy had rushed forward to save her beloved pet, and when the lion's mouth opened to devour his dear friend, Fiyero truly knew fear.

**Here is the next chapter!  
Sorry it took so long, but I've just moved into college. More will come soon!  
Opinions please?**


	6. Chapter 6

Fiyero heard Boq call Dorothy back, but to no avail. All he could do was close his eyes tightly and pray for it to be over quickly. He heard a quick snap, a yelp, and feared for the worst. 

But it was Dorothy's voice, as powerful as ever, that he heard next.

"Shame on you!" she cried.

Fiyero opened his eyes and beheld his friend, her hand red from the slap she had just laid on the muzzle of the Lion in front of them. The way the great beast cowered in front of Dorothy was laughable, but the sadness in the creature's eyes as the girl reprimanded him made him forget all possible taunting. Despite the fact that this Lion could have killed his friend, Fiyero felt pity for the Animal as he explained his reasons.

"I have always been laughed at for being such a coward," the Lion said sadly. "I am without courage."

Boq looked at the shivering creature sharply, no forgiveness in his eyes. His anger was made quite apparent when he said,

"You tried to hurt poor Dorothy and little Toto. She's suffered enough already!"

Boq raised his ax ever so slightly, but Dorothy threw herself in front of the Lion before the Tin Man moved another inch.

"Stop this now!" she said. "I have forgiven this poor creature for his slight against Toto and I. Will you not do the same?"

Boq's features softened as much as his tin face would allow. After looking back and forth from Dorothy to the Lion a few times and heaving a heavy sigh, Boq replied,

"Of course, Dorothy."

Boq outstretched his hand toward the Lion.

"Any friend of Dorothy's is a friend of mine."

The Lion placed his heavy paw in Boq's hand, doing a handshake of sorts.

Fiyero looked at Dorothy deeply. She had a broad smile on her face, obviously pleased that she had done away with the ill feelings between the Tin Man and the Lion. She certainly had a gift with people. Fiyero realized then and there that, under the control of the Wizard, Dorothy could be turned into a very dangerous weapon. Dorothy had influence, he knew it the moment he met her. She had captured him instantly with her smile. She was an irresistible spirit.

Fiyero felt the breeze move differently. He knew his lover was near.

"I think we should stop here for the night," he announced. "For it will certainly become darker before it becomes lighter, and should we try to travel with any less light than we have now, Dorothy may injure herself."

"The road is certainly becoming rougher," Boq agreed.

"And the animals will become wilder yet," the Lion added with a shake in his voice.

Fiyero felt Dorothy's grip on his arm tighten. It made him smile.

They began to set up camp for the night. Fiyero and Dorothy gathered sticks and leaves with which the Tin Man could build a fire.

They decided that the Tin Man and the straw-man Fiyero would keep watch for danger since they had no need for sleep. Throughout the night, the tin Boq stalked through the woods, ax at the ready, assuring the safety of his friends. Fiyero, being clumsy and fairly useless in his state, was told to stay with Dorothy.

As he watched her sleep, he saw the flames begin to flicker in a strange pattern. Suddenly, out of the flames, stepped Elphaba. Completely unharmed, she quietly approached him. Her powers were growing stronger, and she looked simply radiant, her green skin softly glowing in the firelight. She walked to where he was sitting, her finger pressed over her lips to keep him silent as to not wake the sleeping girl.

She sank into his lap with a fiery elegance as he placed soft kisses all over her. And then they embraced, for the longest time, Elphaba and her straw-man creation just held each other. It was the most passionate moment that either of them had ever experienced. Elphaba's kisses became increasingly urgent, and before things got out of hand, Fiyero led her away from the camp site.

Safe in a nearby thicket, Fiyero looked deeply into Elphaba's eyes.

"Did you miss me?" she cooed as she went for another kiss. Fiyero, however, stopped her.

"Why were you so harsh the last time you appeared?" he asked.

Elphaba's face contorted with confusion.

"I was just playing, Fiyero. Didn't you see that the fire could not burn you?"

"No, not that." he replied. "I know you'd never harm me, Elphaba. Why did you keep talking about killing Dorothy? You scared her and the Tin Man to death!"

"I was just showing your friends what they expect to see. I don't want Boq to linger around any longer than he needs to. He'll get in our way."

"So you know who he is."

Elphaba turned her eyes away from Fiyero's.

"Yes, I do."

"What happened?"

Tears welled in her eyes, but Elphaba explained.

"I put a spell on Nessa just before she died. It gave her the ability to walk. I thought I was doing something good. But when Boq walked in the room and saw, he took this as his opportunity to escape her, and told Nessa that he was going to try and win Glinda's heart. When Nessa heard this, she was insanely jealous and..."

The tears rolled softly down Elphaba's cheeks. Fiyero wiped them away with his padded fingers.

"What did she do, Elphaba?"

"She stole the Grimmerie from me and began rambling off a love spell, only she said the words all wrong! The distortion of the spell caused Boq's heart to shrink. I knew that he would die if I didn't do something and there is no way to reverse a spell once it's been cast, so..."

"So you turned him into tin to save him."

She nodded sadly. Fiyero took her in his arms as she cried.

"It's all right, Elphaba." he said. "You did the right thing! I'm so proud of you."

After a few moments more, the green girl calmed down and regained her composure.

"But," he continued. "That doesn't explain why you were so cruel the other day."

Elphaba sighed.

"They need to have a healthy fear of me, Fiyero. If I don't appear frightening to them then things won't make sense, and if Dorothy begins to see the corruption, the Wizard will never let her go free."

"That all may be true Elphaba, but please go easy on her. Dorothy hasn't had an easy time of it. You should see the way she shakes in her sleep and..."

Fiyero stopped when he saw Elphaba's eyes darken.

"You're becoming quite attached to the girl, aren't you?"

"Of course, we're all traveling together. I want to protect her."

"Do you think she's in danger?"

"You know she is!"

"Do you think she's in danger from _me_?"

"Of course not!"

They were fighting for the first time. Fiyero took Elphaba's hands in his own.

"I love you more than anyone or anything. But you and I both know that the Wizard is a threat to her, and I have to protect her."

Suddenly they both fell silent. There was a rustling in the trees. Dorothy appeared behind Elphaba holding a large branch.

"Don't you hurt Scarecrow!" she said, the fear in her voice coming through clearly.

Elphaba used her powers to nonchalantly send the branch flying out of Dorothy's hands and swiftly approached the shivering girl.

"I will leave the Scarecrow alone," she said smoothly, a smile on her face. "If you give me the silver shoes."

"They will not come off!" Dorothy protested.

And, much to the surprise of both Elphaba and Fiyero, Dorothy fell to her knees.

"Please, I beg of you, do not harm my friend. He is innocent in all of this. I'm the one who killed your sister. Please, take me instead!"

Elphaba's eyes widened.

"Dorothy," Fiyero said in shock. "No! Just go back to the fire I will return to you in time."

"No!" she cried, tears spilling over at last. "I will not! How can you expect me to just walk away knowing you're in danger? I'll never abandon you Scarecrow, and I won't let any harm come to you!"

Fiyero was speechless. Of course he knew that Elphaba was not dangerous, but Dorothy did not. She was willing to sacrifice herself for him...a lowly scarecrow...

Elphaba turned slowly from the girl and shot behind her a blast of power that sent Dorothy flying into the air, landing unconscious on the cold ground.

"Elphaba, have you lost your mind?" Fiyero cried as he ran to Dorothy's side.

"Don't worry, Fiyero. The girl is unharmed."

"But, why?"

"Now you can take her back to your friends and say that I attacked you. The more fearful they are of me, the less they'll dare mention me to others. This will ensure our path is kept clear for a time."

"You don't have to do this you know. We could forget the Wizard, leave Oz, and live happily, just the two of us!"

Elphaba was silent for a moment.

"Leave Oz?"

In the distance, Fiyero could hear the Lion's and Boq's voices calling out for he and Dorothy, wondering where they were.

Fiyero kissed his green beauty deeply.

"We'll discuss this another time. I must go."

"I love you, Fiyero!"

"I love you, too."

With another quick kiss, Fiyero left her.

He carried Dorothy in his flimsy, cloth arms, worried he would drop her. He cursed, wishing that his body were more sturdy. Luckily, Boq and the Lion heard him coming and called out,

"Who's there?"

"It's me, Scarecrow. Please help me! Dorothy is hurt!"

Before Fiyero could say Sweet Oz, the Lion and Boq were coming through the thicket of trees.

"Dorothy!" the Lion exclaimed at the sight of their injured friend.

"What happened to her?" the tin Boq asked, an expression of panic etched into his stiff features.

"Let us get her to the warmth of the fire and I'll explain everything." Fiyero replied, buying himself some time to consider a good tall tale to tell.

**W00T! XD That's the next chapter. Sorry it's been a while, but you know...college life...it's crazy. I made this a long one to make up for it though. Hope you enjoyed. Review please! More coming soon.**


	7. Chapter 7

The tin Boq and the cowardly beast sat in silence after Fiyero finished his story. It was an amazing tale that he had cooked up in his head, about how the Witch had kidnaped him, taking him away into the woods, trying her best to make him swear he'd help her get rid of Dorothy. The Scarecrow only hoped that Dorothy wouldn't remember anything to the contrary.

A half-day passed before Dorothy finally opened her eyes. She remembered nothing of her unfortunate brush with Elphaba and accepted the strawman's story as the truth. Fiyero suspected that the girl's faulty memory was a side effect of Elphaba's spell.

The group traveled slowly for the remainder of the day, helping a still disoriented Dorothy along the way. She slowly regained her full senses, and her usually joyful demeanor returned as the sun moved overhead. As the day progressed, the thickness of the woods began to waver, and the path became progressively smoother.

The Lion, as it turned out, was an excellent companion, though every flutter of a butterfly's wing made him jump in horror. His irrational fears aside, the beast was more of a comfort to Dorothy than Fiyero or the tin Boq could have ever been. No matter how affectionate they were, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow could not connect with her like a being of flesh could.

The last night spent in the forest was a cold one indeed. The wind was high, and all attempts at a fire had failed since the wood was damp from the rain of the day. The band of travelers did their best to make beds out of the driest leaves around, but it too was a hopeless endeavor.

After Dorothy and the Lion spent two restless hours tossing and turning on their respective beds of leaves, they awakened and joined the Scarecrow and Tin Man in discussion, all the while trying to get even the tiniest flame to spark.

The Lion and Tin Man spoke excitedly about the Wizard and how wonderful he must be. They were so excited to see him. Fiyero did his best to feign enthusiasm about encountering the not-so-powerful Oz, but couldn't help feeling more than a little uneasy about the whole thing.

How had he gotten himself into this mess? He could leave now. Fiyero knew that he could easily run off with Elphaba and never look back. So what was keeping him? The strawman sighed. He knew exactly what bound him to this fruitless journey to the Emerald City.

Fiyero knew he would never be able to live with himself if he fed Dorothy and the others to the Wizard and left them to his mercy, or lack thereof. No...he would stick out the journey with his new companions to the very end.

Though the Lion and the Tin Man were jubilant in their discussion, Dorothy did not look so thrilled. It was late, and cold, and the fire was just starting to get going, but these did not seem like legitimate reasons for the girl's features to be plagued with such uncertainty.

"What are you thinking?" asked Fiyero.

The others went quiet, for they too had noticed the change in Dorothy's mood.

"I'm worried," she said quietly. "That we will go all this way and the Wizard won't grant our wishes. None of the people I've talked to so far have ever even actually seen him for themselves.  
What if I take you all along on this journey only to find that it was a frivolous one, or worse,  
what if the Witch harms one of you? I don't know if I'd be able to forgive myself if that ever happened."

The four sat in pondering silence. When Dorothy began to cry, the Lion curled up with her and placed his head gently on hers, careful not to lay all of his weight upon the girl.

"The Wizard has to grant us our wishes," said the Tin Boq, though doubt laced his voice. "He has done such wonderful things for our land that he must care deeply for the people! He was the one who had our magnificent Emerald City constructed in the first place. He must hear us Dorothy,  
that's what Wizards do."

Dorothy dried her eyes, though she still didn't look quite convinced.

"Trust me Dorothy," the straw Fiyero chimed in. "The Wizard is as real as you and me."

Fiyero knew that his tone might give him away, but he didn't care anymore. All he wanted was to keep his friends safe and see Dorothy get home in one piece. Then once it was all over, he could return to Elphaba, and they could have the life they so deserved.

"How do you know, Scarecrow?" Dorothy asked innocently. "You were only made a short time ago."

"That is true," Fiyero lied quickly. "But while the farmer put me together, he spoke to his friend who had once seen the Wizard. You see, he painted my ears first so that I could hear what happened around me, and I heard him talking to a neighbor. The other farmer had gone to the Wizard about the drought, and received an immediate audience. So clearly we can draw one of two conclusions from this: either the Wizard is real, or the neighbor of my maker is a filthy liar."

A fleeting pause led to giggling, which made Fiyero smile warmly. Dorothy's face lit back up with her laughter, and the fire finally began to roar. The Scarecrow backed away from the flame a bit, weary of sparks.

"Dorothy," said the Tin Man. "All this dampness has made me a bit stiff. Would you mind quickly oiling my joints?"

The girl nodded, and reached into her basket. As she oiled the metal man's joints, something like snores emitted from the Lion. Dorothy giggled a bit, but her face quickly fell.

"How I wish I could sleep so peacefully," she said quietly.

There was an undertone of sadness in her voice that Fiyero didn't recognize. It was not the complaining of a child, but the pain of a young, lost woman. Boq must have noticed it as well,  
for after she spoke, the Tin Man quickly glanced at Fiyero. He then grathered the girl up in a stiff hug. Dorothy was a bit surprised, but hugged her friend back tenderly. Fiyero thought to himself that the tin Boq must have hugged away a bit of her sadness, for she appeared once again to be a young girl.

"Do try to get some real sleep tonight, Dorothy," the Tin Man said gently. "You'll weaken if you don't rest properly."

She nodded again in silence, and turned back to her spot beside the Lion. She fell to her pile of leaves with a familiar crunch. At that moment, the strawman desperately missed his sense of smell. He remembered that nothing compared to the scent of dead and dying leaves. He suddenly envied Dorothy as she inhaled her crisp, makeshift bed.

The night dragged on as always. The Tin Man had gone off somewhere with his axe, whispering about some noise or other that he'd heard. Dorothy whimpered, her head still aching with anxiety.

"Scarecrow," she sighed. "May I lay with you?"

The strawman looked at the young woman perplexed for a moment, but nodded in silence. Dorothy crawled from her warm spot by the fire to join Fiyero.

"Won't you miss the heat of the fire? I can't move any closer for fear I'll burn up."

"I don't mind it so much. You're quite warm enough for me."

The girl rested her head gently in Fiyero's lap. A few moments passed without words as the fire roared and the Lion snored. Fiyero knew that Dorothy could not afford yet another sleepless night, and so he worked up the nerve to ask,

"What do you dream that causes you such worry?"

At this, Dorothy sat straight up, her eyes widening slightly. Her fear of the question quickly turned to embarrassment, and even by firelight the strawman could see her blushing.

"I see my aunt and uncle. I see them missing me, mourning me, putting a headstone with my name on it in the field I liked to run through in the summer rain."

Dorothy began to shake ever so slightly.

"I want so badly to go home!"

"And you will!" Fiyero responded a bit more fervently than he had planned. He gently laid her back down in his lap and stroked her hair slowly until her tears subsided. "You don't need to worry Dorothy. I'm going to make sure you get home, even if I have to take you there myself."

Dorothy giggled.

"You're too kind to me."

Her eyelids started to flutter.

"Sleep without fear," the strawman whispered. "Your troubles are almost over."

Fiyero knew that somewhere in the shadows, a beautifully tragic woman watched over them all.

**_Sorry this took so long! Hope it was worth the wait. More will come, and it will come faster than last time._**


	8. Chapter 8

Another night had finally ended. The sun began to poke through the trees, and the dew from the rain of the past day glistened in the brilliant beams of morning's light. Lion awoke first and stalked off into a nearby thicket to find some breakfast for himself and Dorothy, who remained asleep in the lap of the strawman.

Fiyero had spent most of the night stroking Dorothy's hair. By holding her close to him, he somehow felt that he could keep away the nightmares. Just as he was considering this, Boq commented quietly,

"Dorothy didn't stir much last night."

"You were a real comfort to her when she couldn't sleep, Tin Man."

"Not as much as you, Boq replied, a bit coldly. She favors you."

"Well, I was the first friend she made in Oz. I don't think she favors me over you or Lion, we=ve just been together longer."

There was a period of silence. The tin Boq rose from where he was sitting and said,

"We should be out of the forest by the afternoon. I'll be glad to put it behind us."

When Dorothy awoke, she claimed to feel more rested than ever before. Lion returned shortly with a dead deer, and while he enjoyed his meat raw, the girl built the fire back up and cooked herself a delicious meal that would last her and the dog the whole day.

While Dorothy, Lion, and Tin Man chatted over breakfast (though of course, the tin Boq couldn't eat) Fiyero snuck off into a deeper part of the forest where the trees grew closer together. If she hadn't been wearing black, Elphaba could have blended right in to the green surroundings.

"It's going to be harder for me to follow you once you leave the forest. she said. AWe probably won't get many opportunities to talk. Has the girl recovered completely from my spell?"

"Yes, she doesn't recall a thing about what happened." he replied. "And she slept soundly last night for the first time since I've met her."

"Well that was not my doing. I merely made sure that we wouldn't be discovered. I do wish you'd stop involving others though. On top of Boq, now you're traveling with a Lion?"

"Dorothy doesn't seem to be the type to turn people away. He stumbled into our company, but he is a decent traveling companion. He protects us from other beasts, and he's a comfort to the girl."

Dorothy began to call out for Fiyero to come back.

"It sounds like your party is leaving."

"I love you, Elphaba."

At this she smiled wearily.

"And I you. But do me a favor, won't you? Please protect the silver shoes! I've lifted the spell that bound them to her feet. I know my magic is connected to them, but no matter how hard I try, I can't summon them."

"I'll do my best."

The strawman kissed Elphaba's hand and ran back to his friends.

They reached the end of the forest at last, and just as Boq had predicted, the sun was right over their heads. Having half a day left, Tin Man suggested that they veer from the road of yellow bricks for a time and take a shortcut through a field. He declared that they would make excellent time by cutting through the flowery field and picking up the road on the other side. Dorothy was thrilled by all of the magnificently colored flowers, and Toto immediately ran ahead to play merrily amongst them.

"Isn't it marvelous to be in the full sunshine again my friends?" Dorothy said jubilantly. "That forest was so dull and dreary."

"I quite disagree," the Lion protested. "The shade of the forest is a comfort to me. All of this open space and sunlight afford us no protection at all."

"Well that's what I'm here for!" declared Boq bravely.

Dorothy chuckled and ran to play with her dog.

"I had better go ahead with Dorothy," the Lion said to his companions. "Just in case trouble should find her."

"Oh sure," the tin Boq smiled. "Because running amongst all of these flowers and having a little fun doesn't entice you at all, eh my friend?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." the Lion said with a wink.

He ran ahead merrily, prancing and taking in the scent of the magnificent flowers, to the amusement of the Tin Man and Fiyero. They walked behind and laughed at the folly of their friends. After a time, the green grass disappeared all together as the flowers dominated the ground. And not long after that, the flowers, which had at one time varied in color and type, became a solid carpet of blood-red poppies.

"That's odd, isn't it Scarecrow? To have so many poppies all together at once like this?" asked the tin Boq.

They looked at each other, concern etched into both of their features, for they knew what affect such an overwhelming number of poppies could have on their fleshy companions. Though they could not inhale the fatal scent due to their lack of humanity, Dorothy and the Lion could be in grave danger.

"Do you see them anywhere Tin Man?" said the strawman in a mounting panic, looking around desperately for their friends.

"Oh dear!" was the reply as they both took off running.

Having gone up a hill, they saw the Lion and the girl, but Toto could not be seen. No doubt he had fallen somewhere amongst the flowers fast asleep. And though their friends were still walking, they were slow and appeared to be exhausted.

The Lion turned to them and said,

"It's the flowers, my friends. Toto has fallen!"

At this the beast closed his eyes, but quickly shook himself awake.

"Listen Lion," said Fiyero, knowing that they didn't have much time. "Run ahead with all of your might! We'll bring Dorothy with us, but if you should fall asleep we would not be able to carry you out."

"I'll do my best!" the Lion said, and with a great spring, he took off running.

Dorothy was still walking up ahead, half-asleep.

"Would you mind finding Toto?" asked Fiyero. I'll go and help Dorothy."

Boq nodded his head, shouldered his axe, and carefully started to examine the ground for the little black dog.

As the straw Fiyero approached her, Dorothy fell to her knees in utter exhaustion. He kneeled at her side and supported her, for the girl was ready to fall to the ground.

"Come on Dorothy, we have to get you out of here before you inhale too much of this poision."

"But Scarecrow," she whispered with a slur. "The flowers smell like sweet...sweet...nothing."

At this her eyes closed and, though the Scarecrow had a hand on her back to steady her, Dorothy's head fell back as sleep overwhelmed her. He called for the Tin Man as loud as his straw body would allow, and laid Dorothy gently on the ground amongst the flowers.

"Where are you, Scarecrow?" the tin Boq asked, coming back over the hill with the little dog in his arms.

"Oh good," the strawman sighed. "You found Toto!"

"We'll have to carry Dorothy out of here," Boq said with a look of panic upon his tin face. "If she breathes too much of it in, we may never be able to wake her again. I'll carry Dorothy, you take my axe and Toto."

Surprised by the authoritative tone in the Tin Man's voice, Fiyero simply nodded and took the sleeping dog in his arms. In his other hand he held the axe and watched enviously as the tin Boq took Dorothy in his arms. Her eyes were slightly open and the eyeballs themselves had rolled back in her head. She needed to get away from these flowers, and fast!

The trouble was that her conscious companions didn't know just how long it would take them to finally reach the end of the field of poppies. While they walked, Boq kept saying, almost as if to reassure himself, that she was going to be just fine. After twenty minutes of walking in the direction that the Lion had gone, they came upon him sprawled upon the first patch of pure grass.

Tin Man gently laid Dorothy next to the Lion so that she could breathe the purer air and recover. Several hours passed by and neither the beast nor the girl stirred at all.

'Why aren't they awake yet?" the tin Boq asked anxiously.

"It will probably take a while for the poison to leave their systems," Fiyero replied. "They'll wake up soon. But I think we can both agree to stick to the road from now on."

At this, the tin Boq began to sob. The strawman stood stunned for a moment, and then approached his fellow traveler cautiously.

"What's wrong?"

"This is my fault! If I hadn't suggested we take a shortcut..."

"We all agreed it was for the best."

Boq attempted to reply, but his jaw had rusted shut from his tears. He began to gesture wildly toward Dorothy, who kept in her basket the oil can that they had come upon back at the cottage. The Scarecrow quickly retrieved it and, finding the situation laughable, oiled the jaw of his old school chum without comment.

As he did this, the straw Fiyero pondered their current condition. If only he could tell Boq who he was...if only they had known it would come to this...

With a snarl, the Lion stirred. His eyes fluttered open, he stretched in a feline manner, and then he rose from his spot on the grass. He gasped audibly at the sight of Dorothy laying motionless.

"Did the flowers conquer her?"

"No," Fiyero said calmly, though he felt anything but. "She'll probably awaken soon."

"Do you think this was the doing of the Wicked Witch of the West?" the Lion asked, a shake in his voice.

"That could be!" replied the Tin Man. "Perhaps our poor judgment was a result of a spell."

"Yes! That must be it!" said the Lion enthusiastically.

"Or perhaps we made a mistake!" declared the strawman, losing his patience. "Maybe we should take responsibility for the fact that we put our lives at risk because we tried to take the easy way. Maybe we were just wrong."

His companions stood awe-struck. He was tired of listening to the Ozian Afind a good enemy excuse. There was no excuse for their blunder. Their friends were in danger because of their own lazy mistake, and there was no getting around it. Tin Man and Lion looked at each other stunned, yet silent. They had nothing to say for themselves.

"At any rate," the Tin Man said, trying to brighten the serious mood. "We should probably find a place to rest for the night. I don't think we should try to push on any further today. We'll pick up the road in the morning."

The straw Fiyero nodded in silence, still angry that Boq and the Lion were so ready to blame an invisible force for their own mistake, when Dorothy finally began to stir.

The three travelers stood over the girl as she opened her eyes, relieved that she was conscious at last. She sat up very quickly, clearly confused, and then took her head in her hands, groaning.

"What happened?"

"The aroma of the poppies overwhelmed you," Fiyero explained. "We're going to rest for the remainder of the day, so relax."

The group moved further away from the poppies and set up camp by a large tree. The sun was setting in the west by the time they all sat down together.

"Did anything exciting happen while we were asleep?" Dorothy asked.

"Not really," replied the Tin Boq. "We were too busy worrying."

"I had the most marvelous dreams," said the Lion.

"What did you dream of?" Boq asked. He had a longing in his voice, and Fiyero supposed that it would be nice to be able to dream again.

"I dreamed that the Wizard gave me the courage I lack and I became the king of beasts again."

"That sounds like a lovely dream." Dorothy sighed.

The strawman scoffed.

"Did you dream of anything, Dorothy?" asked the man of tin.

"I did actually. I had a dream about the witch."

Boq and the Lion both gasped in unison, while the straw Fiyero listened more intently.

"What about the witch?" he asked.

"Well, you may find this strange, but she was crying. She was sad about her sister."

"Nessa," Boq said under his breath. Only Fiyero heard him and they locked gazes for a moment. He then looked back down at the ground, tears in his eyes.

"There was a very handsome man with her, trying to console her."

"The witch can't cry, Dorothy. She's allergic to water."

At this Dorothy laughed heartily.

"That can't possibly be true!"

"It doesn't seem like it is true, Dorothy," Fiyero chimed in. "People in Oz just like to gossip, it seems."

There was a moment of noticeably uncomfortable silence.

"At any rate," said Dorothy. "I really do wish that I could apologize to the poor creature. I have no siblings, but I can't begin to imagine the pain I would feel if someone's house fell on auntie Em."

At this, the Tin Man shouldered his axe. The light of day was fading, but Fiyero could see the tears in his eyes. Maybe he did feel for Nessarose after all. Or maybe this was all that remained of his fear of her.

"I'm going to go look for firewood." he said.

"Please be careful!" Dorothy called after him.

"I too will go walk a bit," said the Lion. "I grow weary of being so still."

"Don't stray too far, please." Dorothy warned. The Lion touched his forehead to hers affectionately and said,

"I'll be back soon, Dorothy dear."

Dorothy smiled brightly at their furry friend as he walked away.

"I hope tomorrow will bring us less trouble," Fiyero said. "If the Tin Man had had a heart, it surely would have stopped at the sight of you unconscious in the poppy field."

"Oh dear," Dorothy replied. "I didn't mean to cause you worry! But when I saw all those beautiful flowers, I couldn't resist the urge to be amongst them."

The strawman laughed. The girl followed suit. Before they knew it, their laughter was out of control! The dog barked his approval. Dorothy threw herself on the ground and inhaled the fresh grass. Fiyero couldn't remember the last time he laughed so hard.

This night, the air was warm and still, and fireflies danced in the space around them.

After some silence, Dorothy said something that truly surprised the straw Fiyero.

"I wonder what it's like to be in love," she said.

"What made you think of that?"

"When I was at home, I often sat outdoors on nights like this with auntie Em and uncle Henry. They're quite old now, but even at their current age, uncle Henry looks at her with such tenderness. I know I'm quite young, but I often wonder what sort of power binds two people like that."

"Love is a very powerful magic, Dorothy." the Scarecrow replied.

"I suppose you're right." she said with a yawn as her eyes began to flutter shut. "For one with no brain, you certainly are wise."

And with that she slept.

Within moments of this exchange, Elphaba appeared quite suddenly from the field of poppies, completely unharmed by the toxic flowers. She sat beside her strawman, and waved her hand slowly in front of Dorothy.

"She can't hear a thing now." the green girl said.

"Your magic is getting stronger every day!" Fiyero said as he kissed her hand softly. "Is this safe? Being out in the open like this?"

"I'm keeping an eye on your companions." was the reply. "I am worried, my dearest. Things in the Emerald City are worse than ever. There is corruption everywhere in Oz!"

"Have you considered what I said before? That we might leave Oz and make a new life?"

"Yes. I have given that idea much thought."

Elphaba faltered at this and looked away.

"Why would you want to stay in a world that has rejected you?"

"It's everything I know! It's where my family lived their lives. And what about Glinda? How could we just leave her?"

"Have you forgiven her?"

"Not completely. I know that she's only a pawn, but she isn't as brainless as she pretends to be. She just can't resist the glory of it all."

"One day you'll have to make peace with her."

"Glinda is the least of our worries, Fiyero! You're involved with this group now, and I feel responsible for their safety. Leading them to the Emerald City now would be like walking them in front of a firing squad."

"So you've come around, have you?"

"Don't get carried away!" she said in a cold tone of voice. "You got involved with the girl, the girl got everyone else involved, and now we're obligated to protect them. I didn't ask for this."

Elphaba stared longingly at the silver shoes upon Dorothy's feet.

"I wanted so badly to make Nessa happy."

Fiyero and Elphaba embraced.

"You did all you could." he said in an attempt to console her.

"I know."

Distant voices confirmed that the Lion and Boq had found one another and were coming back to their campsite. Elphaba kissed Fiyero deeply, and vanished before his very eyes. He found himself astounded by her amazing progress. She was not the shy young outcast he had once known. She was the clever woman he always knew she could be.

**Thank you everyone for being so patient! I hope you enjoyed it. More will follow soon!**


	9. Chapter 9

As the four walked briskly down the road of yellow bricks the following morning, Fiyero's straw head was heavy with worry. The others were cheery and uplifted by the prospect that they could reach the Emerald City by dark, but the strawman knew better the dangers that lie ahead.

'Once the Wizard has us in his claws,' Fiyero thought. 'There will be little I can do. I must maintain control of the situation somehow.'

Dorothy suggested they stop to rest a moment in the early afternoon. They had been moving at a very intense pace in an attempt to reach the city before sunset, and she had quickly grown tired. The Lion wanted desperately to keep moving.

"You may ride upon my back," he urged. "For we must be drawing near and I don't wish to linger on the road longer than we need to."

"Let her alone," said Fiyero. "There is no need to hurry. If we need to spend one more night on the road, it won't matter in the least. The city will likely still be there tomorrow. You may rest as long as you need, Dorothy."

And with that, the Scarecrow sat beside her and took her basket into his lap. Dorothy helped herself to some berries they had found that morning and offered some to the dog, but he would not eat.

"Something is wrong with Toto!" Dorothy exclaimed. "The nearer we grow to the Emerald City, the less he wants to eat!"

Fiyero made eye contact with the tiny dog, and knew instantaneously that the tiny creature could sense the oncoming danger, too.

"He'll eat plenty once we get there!" the Tin Man said happily. "But I agree with the Scarecrow. As eager as I am to receive my heart, I would gladly wait a hundred days if it meant your comfort, Dorothy."

The Lion frowned.

"I didn't mean to be pushy," he said. "I'm just so excited!"

"No worries friends," said Dorothy with a gentle smile. "I'll be ready to go in a moment. My legs are just so tired."

A few moments passed with the usual nonsensical chatter. Then Dorothy said,

"We have come a long way together, my friends. I feel as though we've become a little family." With this she squeezed the Scarecrow's hand. She went on. "No matter what happens within the walls of the city, let us not forget our days traveling together. And let us make a vow here and now to look after one another as we always have, and never to let anything come between us."

"Well said!" Boq exclaimed tearfully.

Dorothy stood and embraced the Tin Man. She then threw her arms around the furry neck of the Lion and held him to her for a moment. When she separated from the great beast, she turned to where the strawman sat beside the road and held her hand out for him to take it. She helped him to his feet and wrapped her arms around his middle. He returned the embrace and kissed the top of her head.

When they parted, the girl looked up into his painted eyes. There were tears in hers.

They continued the walk, this time at a slower pace. The straw Fiyero held Dorothy back from the rest of the group for a moment.

"Why the tears, Dorothy?" he asked.

"I..." she hesitated. "I have this horrible feeling that things won't be the same once we reach the Emerald City. Between all of us, I mean."

Fiyero nodded in understanding and put a comforting arm around her.

"After all we've been through together," he said. "I doubt there's anything that could drive us apart."

He could tell he hadn't convinced her.

"But," he went on. "If for some reason the others do change in some way, or if someone in the city treats you unkindly, I want you to know that there are forces protecting you."

"Forces?"

"Well, um...yes!" he stumbled. "You have the Good Witch of the North on your side. And you have me."

"Yes, you are a force, aren't you, Scarecrow?" she teased.

Dorothy stood on her tip toe and kissed the strawman on the cheek. And, with a glimmering smile, she ran ahead to catch up with the others.

If Fiyero had possessed the ability, he would have broken down and sobbed. They were heading into the heart of darkness, and it was possible that Dorothy, who was so young and innocent, could be lost. And if that should happen, the Scarecrow knew that he would be tortured by this moment, where he stood and watched as she skipped merrily toward her doom.

Just as this thought occurred to him, the massiveness of the Emerald City made itself known in the distance. They had reached their destination at last. Dorothy jumped with joy and threw her arms around Boq, who looked like he might cry. The four stood shoulder to shoulder for a time just looking at the city as if they all knew how life altering the experience would be.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Dorothy asked with a slightly uncertain air. "Let's go see the Wizard!"

It took another hour before they reached the great wall that surrounded the Emerald City. When they arrived, the guardian allowed them reluctant entry and strapped the "protective" spectacles onto their eyes, making everything that fell into their sight green.

Fiyero had seen the city without these measures, having once been the captain of the guard, and knew that there wasn't even a hint of green within the walls of the city. The whole damned thing was an illusion!

Dorothy and the others gasped audibly upon entering the Emerald City. They were quite obviously astounded! Dorothy's eyes filled with tears once again and she gripped the strawman's hand quite tightly. He gently squeezed back.

Upon telling the guard that they wished to have an audience with the Wizard, he was quite frightened.

"No one," he explained. "Has seen the Wizard since that fateful day when the Witch began her reign of terror!"

"No one?" Dorothy asked.

"No one," the guard replied. "Aside from Glinda the Good."

"I think we should ask anyway," said the Lion forcefully. "Perhaps, once he has heard our story, he will be willing to grant us an audience."

They continued to walk down the crowded streets. At one point, Dorothy had been separated from the others because of the busy masses. Being a modest farm girl, Dorothy knew little of city life and how important it would be to stick by her friends.

The moment her hand left his, Fiyero assumed it was an assassination attempt. He panicked and screamed her name. He truly felt like a fool when he saw her hand shoot into the air over the heads of the hustling and bustling Ozians, waving a message of safety. The tin Boq and the Lion laughed heartily at the Scarecrow's reaction.

"Sometimes," he heard the Lion say to the Tin Man. "I think the Scarecrow is a bit too protective of her."

After the commotion of Dorothy's very temporary disappearance, Fiyero realized he'd made a terrible mistake. He had managed to attract unwanted attention to himself and the others. Suddenly, the people of the Emerald City seemed all too interested in the mysterious strangers. Most of all, he noticed the attention the people were paying to Dorothy's silver shoes, and fear swept over his senses. There would be no way to prevent it now. The Wizard would do all he could to trap her.

Upon their arrival to the palace, they were greeted by the wide, grinning face of Madame Morrible. Fiyero felt his soul churn in an ugly way at the sight of her.

"Welcome," she said in her grand way. "Welcome, noble travelers, to the Wizard's palace. I am the Wizard's right hand, Madame Morrible. Word has spread across the land of how you eliminated the Wicked Witch of the East."

Boq squirmed uncomfortably.

"I didn't mean to kill her, ma'am. It was accidental..."

"Be that as it may," Morrible quickly interrupted. "The Wizard recognizes your valiant effort to see him, and has agreed to grant you an audience, one at a time, over the course of the next four days. We have rooms prepared for you."

Dorothy remained stone-faced, while the others rejoiced. Attendants came by to show the foursome to their rooms, when the Scarecrow noticed Morrible grab Dorothy by the elbow in the corner of his eye. He hung back, despite the complaints of his assigned attendant.

"You know, my dear," Morrible said. "You and the strawman have become very popular among the Ozian people. You and I shall have to have a more in-depth chat after you see the Great and Powerful Wizard tomorrow."

"I'd better be getting to bed, ma'am. It's been quite a long journey." Dorothy replied calmly.

Later that night, the Scarecrow was staring out his window. He knew that Elphaba would be foolish to come and visit him here. She's be apprehended in the blink of an eye. And while he knew that it would be dangerous, he longed to be near her.

A soft knock at his door roused him from thoughts of his green-skinned beauty.

"Come in?" he said reluctantly, ready for an attack.

When the door opened, however, it was only Dorothy. She had a nightgown on. Being in the confines of the palace, which had been painted green, they were permitted to remove their spectacles.

"I'm sorry to bother you, my dearest friend." she said.

"You're not bothering me, you know I don't sleep. But you should really be in bed."

"I...I can't sleep. I've grown so accustomed to having you with me at night that I couldn't rest at all."

"Toto was not sufficient company for you?"

"He went right to sleep without a second thought. His life is really quite simple, I suppose."

"Would you like to stay with me?" he asked kindly.

She nodded and made her way over to the large, plush bed. It was adorned with green silk sheets and a lavish comforter.

"I've never been in such a luxurious bed before!" Dorothy said, still astounded by her surroundings, although a bit disenchanted.

"I don't care for that Morrible woman." she said in a voice uncharacteristically dark for sweet, little Dorothy. "She wants to see me after I visit the Wizard tomorrow. She hinted that she'd like to discuss something about you."

Fiyero suddenly felt anxious. What if they were planning to torture information out of her?

"Also," she went on. "I don't like the idea of seeing the Wizard separately."

"I must agree with you there," the strawman said, sitting next to her in the bed. "We made the journey together, we should reap the reward together. If I had a brain, I believe it would be wise to insist."

"Yes, indeed." Dorothy replied.

Dorothy snuggled closer to the Scarecrow, holding him tight to her.

"Are you afraid, Dorothy?" he asked softly.

"So very," she replied. "I thought this was what I wanted, but now I'm not so sure. There must be a better way of finding Kansas."

"Don't worry," said the Scarecrow as Dorothy closed her heavy eyes. "One way or another, Wizard or no, I will see you safely home."

She smiled as she was overcome with slumber, the strawman silently stroking her hair until the first rays of dawn.

Fiyero's thoughts wandered once again. The nights were so very, very long for scarecrows.

Dorothy stirred bright and early.

"There is time yet," Fiyero said to her. "Why don't you get a little more rest?"

"I'm too anxious to sleep," Dorothy sighed. "And besides, I think we should arrive early so that we can insist upon seeing the Wizard together."

Dorothy rose from the bed and began brushing her hair. There was a knock at the door. The strawman walked to it and flimsily turned the handle. There was a timid looking servant on the other side with a dress in her hand.

"I went to the lady Dorothy's room and couldn't find her, sir. The man of tin thought I might find her here. I need to dress her for her audience with the Great and Powerful Wizard."

"Oh, yes. Come in."

Dorothy smiled kindly at the servant girl.

"Really, I don't need to be dressed. I can dress myself, thank you."

"Heaven forbid! I have been given orders, ladyship."

"Please just call me Dorothy." she said, noticeably uncomfortable with the situation.

Dorothy succumbed helplessly to the stubborn servant and stood to be dressed. Fiyero was still standing in the corner.

"Perhaps we should return to your room, miss Dorothy."

"No, you stay here. I'll go talk to the others about what we discussed before." said the Scarecrow.

"Yes, please do." Dorothy said. And then she flashed him the warmest smile he had ever seen.

After he'd shut the door behind him, Fiyero fell against the wall and took his head into his hands. Who was he fooling? Even if they were able to go in together, what difference would it make?

And then, though it was gone in a flash, he heard Elphaba's voice whisper into his ear,

"Be brave!"

He looked all about him, but the strawman couldn't see her. He nodded, and went to find the Tin Man.

When the other two heard his argument about entering together, they were not happy with the idea at all.

"But what if they turn us away?" said the Lion.

"The Lion is right," the tin Boq added. "We were lucky to be granted an audience in the first place. It would be unwise to push our luck."

"I may not have a brain," Fiyero said harshly. "But I do know what's best for Dorothy. She is young and frightened, and we are the only family she has here. I will not force her to go anywhere alone, even if that means that we may lose our chance."

"Don't presume that you are the only one who loves her!" Boq snapped back. "And don't forget that if we lose our chance to see the Wizard, she'll never get home."

"I'll see her back to Kansas if I have to take her there myself!" he said turning his back on the others. And there stood Dorothy. She was dressed in a form-fitting green dress that reached to the floor. The sleeves were sheer and were off of her shoulders. Her long hair had been brushed out straight.

He couldn't believe his eyes. She looked so like a woman.

"I am ashamed of all of you," she said. "You made me a promise before we got here. You all promised that we would stick together, no matter what, and that we'd let nothing come between us."

Dorothy's three companions hung their heads.

"Please forgive each other," she went on. "I can't bear to see our family fractured. It breaks my heart."

Fiyero felt irritated. He was only trying to defend her. Why wasn't she doing the same for him? He only understood what she was trying to do when he turned to look at the Tin Man, whose lip was quivering and who was on the brink of tears. With a great and loud sob, Boq threw his arms around the strawman apologetically. The Scarecrow could do nothing but smile at this and return the sentiment.

"I think you may be right after all, Scarecrow," said the Tin Man. "We must see the Wizard together."

Dorothy smiled and embraced the Tin Man, giving him a kiss on the cheek. She turned to the Scarecrow and did the same, whispering in his ear,

"Thank you, my dearest friend."

**Yay! Here is the next chapter. I hope you're enjoying it. More is coming!**


	10. Chapter 10

As they nervously waited in the hallway for the attendant who would call Dorothy into the Wizard's presence, the Scarecrow noticed two whispering guards. They were both there on the day he was put up on a pole in the cornfield and beaten. He saw the one on the right eyeing Dorothy and nudging his partner, the two of them looking her up and down in an unsettling way. Dorothy must have noticed it as well, for her eyes were lowered and her cheeks were a wild shade of red. The strawman took Dorothy's hand and held it tightly.

Finally the attendant arrived and asked Dorothy to follow him. She stood from her seat and said,

"I have decided that I shall not see the Wizard without my friends with me. Would you please relay this message to the Wizard for me?"

The attendant was shocked.

"Young woman, I suggest that you set aside your impertinence and do as you are told."

Dorothy sat back down next to the Scarecrow defiantly and quietly held her foot out from under her gown. When the attendant saw the silver shoes upon her, he nearly tripped over his own feet.

"Please relay my message, sir. Dorothy said, and the attendant subsequently ran off to do her bidding."

"Good girl! the Lion exclaimed. "You handled it beautifully!"

"Did I?" she exhaled nervously. "I was trying to sound authoritative. I fear I won't be able to convince the Wizard so easily."

"Well done, my dear." said Boq, putting a heavy arm around her. "I am sure the Wizard will oblige you."

And sure enough, the attendant came back hastily with Madame Morrible in tow. He was about to speak, but the overpowering woman behind him pushed him out of her way and said,

"I understand that you'd like to all go in together. Is that right, young lady?"

"Yes ma'am." Dorothy replied.

"You're certainly a brave little girl, aren't you? Challenging the Wizard as you are doing is unwise."

"As wise as he is, I'm sure he'll understand. After all, I am young and inexperienced in the ways of the world. I would prefer to have my friends close to me."

Fiyero sensed a tone in her voice that was sweet, but entirely false. He made eye contact with Boq, who, Fiyero was certain, was thinking the same thing.

"Fortunately for you, my dears, the Wizard has had pity on you and will indeed see you all at once. But your meeting must be brief."

"Thank you very much, Madame!" the Tin Man said happily.

With that, the door at the end of the hall opened, and they were told to enter.

The hallway into the Wizard's chamber brought back so many memories. It was here that Fiyero had been named captain of the guard. It was here that he had saved the woman he loved, and here that he had held the same "terrible" wizard at gunpoint. And now he had a young woman clinging to his arm, utterly afraid and depending on him. He only hoped he would be clever enough to get out of there.

The strawman tried to look as frightened as the others so he wouldn't stand out as the great puppet head of the Wizard came forward and roared,

"I am Oz, the Great and Terrible! Who are you and why do you seek me?"

Dorothy stepped away from the others as bravely as she could and said,

"I am Dorothy, the Small and Meek, and we have traveled across your land to ask favors of you."

"I have been told of the favors for which you have traveled!" he loudly responded, causing Dorothy to shake in terror. "Why should I do what you ask? What will you do in return?"

"You will have our unwavering gratitude, sir."

At this, fire erupted in front of the throne. Sounding as enraged as possible, the Wizard said,

"Who are you to make demands of the all-powerful Oz?"

"I am not a citizen of your country," Dorothy replied. "And though it is quite beautiful, I have no desire to remain here. I would like to go home to my family."

The Wizard was quiet for a moment. Fiyero would have sworn he heard hushed whispers from behind the massive puppet, and deduced that it was probably Morrible snaking her way into the Wizard's opinions.

"I have decided to be merciful with you, he said. AI will grant all of your wishes."

The others rejoiced and thanked the Wizard, but the Scarecrow knew something wasn=t right. He was sure there would be a catch. And then, like clockwork, the Wizard boomed,

"NOT SO FAST!"

All stopped dead and went back to being terrified.

"In this land, everyone pays for what he receives. Your gifts come with a price. Bring me proof that you have eliminated the Wicked Witch of the West, and I will give you all you could ever desire."

"But we cannot!" Dorothy protested, truly afraid now. Fiyero tried to restrain her, but she went on. "How can you ask us to kill anyone?"

"She is a truly wicked creature, and therefore deserves to be destroyed. Do not forget that. I have spoken! Be gone from my sight!"

And with that, the lights all went out except for the one in the hall, leading them out. They had been excused.

Fiyero understood all too well what the Wizard was trying to do. He knew that Elphaba could not be defeated by this ragtag group of nobodies. He was intentionally sending them to their doom, presuming that they would never return. Damn. The strawman hadn't seen this coming!

The others were low in spirits.

"What are we to do?" Dorothy lamented. "I cannot kill the Witch!"

"Don't worry Dorothy," Boq comforted. "We'll think of something."

Just as Dorothy was about to reply, Madame Morrible appeared quite suddenly.

"I heard of the Wizard's decision," she said. "And I think I may be able to help you."

She smiled broadly, revealing her crooked, stained teeth. Morrible put a cold hand on Dorothy's shoulder.

"Perhaps I could persuade you to come and have a cup of tea with me, dear. You could bring your strawman with you if you'd like."

Fiyero was tempted to tell her where to go, but Dorothy softly replied,

"That would be lovely."

After telling the Tin Man and Lion that they would be back shortly, Dorothy and the straw Fiyero followed Madame Morrible to her office, hand in hand. When they arrived, they were seated in two rather uncomfortable chairs. Madame Morrible perched herself on the opposite side of an oak desk.

"The two of you are the talk of the city," she said after a moment of uncomfortable silence.

"Why not forget about this business of killing the Witch of the West? Stay here in the glamour of the Emerald City! I would be more than happy to set the two of you up in a comfortable diplomaticious position. And nothing boosts the morale of a nation like a good, popular wedding!"

"I beg your pardon, ma'am?" Dorothy said, astounded as the Scarecrow sat, truly dumbfounded.

"Oh my dears, there is no reason to hide it. All who surround you can see that you have tenderness for one another. You have a knack for influencing people, Dorothy. You would do well in the political world. But a female politician who is married always does better than one who is not."

At that moment, Fiyero knew that Morrible must have had this same talk with Glinda before their engagement had been thrust upon him.

With a sharp intake of breath, Dorothy asked,

"I am a bit young to be married, don't you think, Madame?"

"And any tenderness I have toward Dorothy," the Scarecrow spoke up. "Is that of a brother to his sister."

"I don't doubt it," Morrible replied quickly. "But I am not talking about a love match."

Dorothy and the Scarecrow looked at each other in utter disbelief. Morrible quickly continued.

"Well anyway, enough of this chatter. The Wizard has instructed me to throw a ball for the four Witch Hunters of Oz before your departure to the West. Perhaps a glimpse into the social scene of the City will guide you in your decision."

Talk of ridiculous arranged marriages ceased and gave way to idle nonsensical chatter about the beauty of the city and glory of the Wizard. Dorothy did not have a single sip of her tea, much to Madame Morrible's dismay, and soon Dorothy and the Scarecrow were walking back to their rooms.

"We need to speak, Scarecrow," she whispered. "But let us wait until we arrive at my suite. I feel as though the walls have ears!"

When they reached the door of the Scarecrow's room, they found the Tin Man and Lion awaiting them, the same guards standing by.

"Well?" Boq urged. "What did Madame Morrible say? Did she tell you anything useful?"

"Hardly!" the straw Fiyero shouted.

"Hush my friends, let us talk inside!" Dorothy whispered. She gave a nervous glance back to the guards, who looked at her hungrily. The Scarecrow ushered them inside.

The girl led the way into the room and sat upon the vanity chair. The Scarecrow sat facing her on the bed while the Lion sat upon the floor and the tin Boq stood.

"I'm afraid that my instincts about Madame Morrible have proven to be quite accurate," Dorothy said. "She made a most disturbing offer to us."

"How do you mean?" asked the Lion.

Dorothy looked at Fiyero, too embarrassed to go on.

"She offered us positions of power," the Scarecrow said. "And suggested that Dorothy could ensure her political prowess through an advantageous marriage."

"Out of the question!" Boq said, a look of outrage on his face. "Our Dorothy is far too young to be married, and anyhow there is no one worthy of her."

While the Tin Man chuckled at this, Dorothy and the straw Fiyero exchanged an uncomfortable look. This did not go unnoticed by the Lion.

"Why do I feel there is more to this story?" the Lion asked.

"Well," Dorothy replied. "Madame Morrible thought it would be convenient for all of us if I took our dear friend the Scarecrow as my husband."

All were silent. Boq looked like he might break Fiyero in half.

"And what did you say to this, friend?" the tin Boq asked the straw Fiyero a little too harshly.

"Of course I told Madame Morrible that her suggestion was unacceptable."

The four friends sighed. This is what Dorothy was talking about during her pep talk on the road of yellow bricks. The city had already changed them.

"I love you all so dearly," Dorothy said, on the verge of tears. "And I want you all to live a comfortable life. These positions we have been offered would ensure that all of you live out your lives in the lap of luxury."

Fiyero was ready to fall over in shock! Had she misplaced her mind?

"What are you saying, Dorothy?" he asked.

"If I married you, then the three of you may find happiness here. And then I could go off and find another way home."

"Forgive me, Dorothy dear, but that suggestion is thoughtless!" the Tin Man said angrily.

"Don't speak to her like that!" the strawman defended.

"All right, enough! Forget I mentioned it!" Dorothy hastily interrupted. "It was a desperate thought. Please forgive me."

The girl proceeded to hang her head in shame. She then took her head in her hands and sobbed. The tin Boq, obviously regretting his harsh speech, went to where Dorothy sat and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Don't cry, Dorothy," he said gently. "I didn't mean it. I know how badly you want to go home. But that isn't the way. I promise we'll figure this out."

She wrapped her arms around his middle and they embraced.

When they parted, the Lion said,

"That's settled then, but what do we do next?"

"The Wizard wants to throw a ball in our honor before we leave to complete the mission he has assigned us," Dorothy replied. "But I fear that the task is impossible."

"Let's take a night to sleep on it. I'm sure we can think of something!" said Fiyero unconvincingly.

All nodded their heads in agreement and bid each other a good night. Fiyero offered to stay the night with Dorothy if it pleased her, but she expressed a need for solitude, so he took his leave of her. When he had shut the door to her room, he found the Tin Man holding one of the guards against the wall and the Lion with his teeth exposed, money on the floor. By the time the strawman made his way over, the guards had hastily fled.

"What was that all about?" Fiyero asked.

"You'll never believe this, my friend!" the tin Boq replied. "Those disgusting excuses for life just offered me money if we could promise them uninterrupted time in Dorothy's room."

"Is there no end to the filth in this city?" the Scarecrow asked.

"The sooner we leave the better," the Lion replied. "All of these enclosed spaces make me nervous anyway."

"Go and get rest, friends," the Tin Man said. "I am spending the night outside of Dorothy's room. Those guards won't wish to confront me again. We'll report them in the morning. I'm sure the Wizard will be horrified that his guests were treated so poorly."

"Well said!" the Lion agreed.

The strawman scoffed, and hesitantly returned to his compartment, glancing nervously over his shoulder in time to see the tin Boq take up his post in front of Dorothy's door. He had the urge to stand there with him to be sure of her safety, but decided to trust the Tin Man. Having closed his door behind him, he inhaled deeply and exhaled just in time to see a cloaked figure step into the moonlight that was cascading through the window.

"The city has turned the girl into a woman overnight." the figure said as she through her hood back.

"Elphaba!" the Scarecrow exclaimed as he ran to her side. "You frightened me."

They embraced for a time. He looked her over in utter disbelief.

"You should not have come," he said. "This is extremely dangerous. If you were to be discovered here..."

"I never thought you'd be one to fret this way." Elphaba replied coyly. "What happened to the man who thought it better to not think at all?"

"That man died the moment I met you."

"Well then," she said quietly. "Just for this moment, let him come back again."

If Fiyero had still had knees, they would have been weak. She got into the bed and sank comfortably into the covers with a sigh of relief.

"Are you sure about this?"

"I have spells all around me," she replied with a yawn. "Even if someone barged through the door right now they would not be able to see me or hear me. And to tell you the truth, my love, since I'm on the run, I rarely get a night in a comfortable bed."

And there she stayed through the entire night while the strawman held her in his arms. The overwhelming joy of having her with him and the sinking feeling that he would soon have to let her go again hit him at the same time.

But she was right...just for this moment...

**Well, that's the chapter! Thanks so much for all of your support, I'm having a lot of fun writing this. Keep the feedback coming!**


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